A day after a fire erupted on the upper deck of the Singapore-flagged container vessel WAN HAI 503, a multi-agency team has been formed to investigate the incident. This team comprises officials from the DG Shipping Department, the Coast Guard, Port Authorities, Customs, and Kerala Police. They aim to determine the cause of the sudden fire, which has resulted in damage to over 1,000 containers, many of which hold hazardous materials. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) may also be involved in the investigation in the coming days.
Currently, four crew members are missing while 22 have been rescued. Reports indicate that 1,015 containers fell from the ship, raising concerns over the potential release of dangerous chemicals. This incident marks the second cargo ship accident along the Kerala coast in just two months, and the investigative team will also consider this aspect.
The fire occurred approximately 70 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on June 9, prompting a swift response from the Indian Coast Guard. In coordination with the Indian Navy and other agencies, 18 crew members were successfully rescued following the incident.
